CLASSIC-winning jockey Micky Fenton enjoyed his biggest success as a trainer when Physique landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Ahonoora Handicap, the €110,000 feature on the final day of the Festival, at odds of 9/1.

Fenton, who enjoyed his finest hour in the saddle aboard Speciosa in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in 2006, has been training near Mallow with his wife Steph for the past two years and this was just his third winner. The Kingman gelding made all in the hands of Seamie Heffernan and gamely held off the challenge of Hurricane Ivor by half-a-length with Dunum holding every chance the same distance further back in third.

“It’s amazing for the Sheehans, who have the Grand Hotel in Killarney. Patsy owns him and took over the horses from his brother John who trained in the UK. John rang me one day and said he was retiring to Ireland and he’d have a few horses with me. Unfortunately John died of cancer so Patsy took over the horses and I’m sure John is looking down on us today,” said Fenton.

“There is one way to ride him and he likes to get on with things. He gets a bit wound up if you try to hold him back and Seamie knows him after riding him the last couple of times. He kept going on the [heavy] ground.”

Mullins on top

Willie Mullins was once again confirmed the leading trainer at the Galway Festival after Saint Roi (13/2) defied topweight in the Lord Hemphill Memorial Handicap Chase.

The J.P. McManus-owned gelding put a disappointing run in the Plate behind him when making all under Aidan Kelly, although he had to dig deep in the straight to hold off the challenge of The Dasher Conway by a length and a quarter.

Mullins said, “A very brave performance. Aidan asked him a few big questions and he jumped out of his skin. When they came up around him at the bend I thought that might be it but he stuck out his head the whole way up to the line. He missed the first the other day and that was game over.”

Festival form

The McManus colours were also on the mark when Neveradullmoment, successful on the opening evening of last year’s Galway Festival, again scored here over two miles in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle.

The 7/1 chance kept on well up the hill under Charlie O’Dwyer to lead close home. Trainer Philip Dempsey said: “We had this in mind for a while as we knew he handled the track and it’s great to win their own race.

“He could go back over fences or maybe go for another hurdle at the likes of Listowel.”

O’Dwyer was given a three-day ban for using his whip with excessive frequency.

JACK Kennedy took the leading National Hunt jockey award and brought his tally to four winners for the week with a double via Flicker Of Hope and Hurricane Georgie.

Flicker Of Hope led soon after the last in the three-mile Kenny Galway Handicap Hurdle and the well backed 10/3 joint-favourite quickly asserted to beat Littlebiggie by six lengths.

“I probably shouldn’t have run him on Monday over two miles, but I thought he was rated too low to get into this race. He’s improving the whole time, the rain came and Jack gave him a super ride. He’ll stay over hurdles for a while and is a horse that we are looking forward to,” said Mark Fahey who trains the five-year-old for Swords Bloodstock.

Gutsy Georgie

Hurricane Georgie received weight all round in the Kinlay Hostel Chase and that counted in the closing stages as the 4/1 shot, trained by Gordon Elliott for Pioneer Racing, pulled clear to beat Easy Game by four and a half lengths.

“She’s not the biggest in the world but she’s tough and prefers those smaller fields. She jumped very well, and I’d say she only did what she had to win when she hit the front,” said Kennedy.

Reflecting on his top jump jockey award he added: “I don’t usually have a good Galway so it’s nice to get that this year. It’s a great week when you’re having a bit of luck but it’s a long week when you’re not!”

SIGH No More provided Joseph O’Brien with a fifth winner over the week when coming from what seemed an impossible position entering the straight to land the Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden.

“She was a bit sluggish early, and I didn’t travel. We were going hard, and I just let her find her feet,” explained rider Declan McDonogh after the Stride Racing-owned filly got the better of Saint Brandon at odds of 14/1.

“When she hit the hill she actually devoured the ground. The race changed in the last 150 yards, they just stopped.”

Howard success

The Sylkie Syndicate were out in force to celebrate the 28/1 victory of Sylkie who also finished strongly for Rory Cleary to deny evens favourite Presence by a length in the Village Salthill Handicap.

“We got her out of a claimer and she’s after making a lot of people very happy today,” said trainer Danny Howard who was not only saddling his first Galway Festival winner but also his first on the flat.

“She handled the ground and Rory gave her a lovely ride. Sometimes she doesn’t travel well early in a race and I told him not to panic, ride her to be placed and whatever comes your way after that.”

Lucky Wife

Gavin Cromwell had to wait until the final race of the week to open his account at the meeting as The Passing Wife joined the rare band of three-time bumper winners by taking control inside the final furlong under Declan Lavery to beat Pure Logic by four and a quarter lengths in the Fr Breen Memorial Flat Race.

“It was a grand performance with the weight, he lengthened away well. He was entered in a maiden hurdle yesterday but we said we’d have a look at the bumper and he’ll go hurdling now,” said Cromwell who trains the 11/10 winner for the Cant Say No Syndicate.

“The last day in Bellewstown was plenty quick enough for him and he’d have no problem on winter ground.”